Ancient China

Calendar

Versions of the Chinese calendar have been used for thousands of years. Today the Chinese calendar is still used to mark traditional Chinese holidays, but the common Gregorian calendar (the one used by most of the rest of the world) is used for daily business in China.

History

The Chinese calendar was developed by many of the Chinese dynasties of Ancient China. However, it was in 104 BC during the rule of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that the current calendar was defined. This calendar was called the Taichu calendar. It is the same Chinese calendar that is used today.

Animal Years

Each year in the Chinese calendar is named after an animal. For example, 2012 was the "year of the dragon". There are 12 animals that the years cycle through. Every 12 years the cycle repeats itself. The Chinese believed that, depending on which year a person was born, their personality would take on the aspects of that animal.

Here are the animals and what they mean:

Rat

Years: 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008

Personality: charming, cunning, funny, and loyal

Get along with: dragons and monkeys, not with horses

Ox

Years: 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Personality: hard working, serious, patient, and trustworthy

Get along with: snakes and roosters, not with sheep

Tiger

Years: 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

Personality: aggressive, brave, ambitious, and intense

Get along with: dogs and horses, not with monkeys

Rabbit

Years: 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011

Personality: popular, lucky, kind, and sensitive

Get along with: sheep and pigs, not with roosters

Dragon

Years: 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012

Personality: wise, powerful, energetic, and charismatic

Get along with: monkeys and rats, not with dogs

Snake

Years: 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013

Personality: smart, jealous, analytical, and generous

Get along with: roosters and oxen, not with pigs

Horse

Years: 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002

Personality: like to travel, attractive, impatient, and popular

Get along with: tigers and dogs, not with rats

Sheep (Goat)

Years: 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003

Personality: creative, shy, sympathetic, and insecure

Get along with: rabbits and pigs, not with oxen

Monkey

Years: 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004

Personality: inventive, energetic, successful, and deceitful

Get along with: dragons and rats, not with tigers

Rooster

Years: 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005

Personality: honest, neat, practical, and proud

Get along with: snakes and oxen, not with rabbits

Dog

Years: 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006

Personality: loyal, honest, sensitive, and moody

Get along with: tigers and horses, not with dragons

Pig (Boar)

Years: 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

Personality: intelligent, sincere, perfectionist, and noble

Get along with: rabbits and sheep, not with pigs

Legend of the Chinese Years

According to ancient Chinese legend, the order of the animals in the calendar was determined by a race. The animals raced across a river and their position in the cycle was determined by how they finished in the race. The rat won because it rode on the back of the oxen and jumped off its back at the last minute to win the race.

The Five Elements

There is a also an element for each year. There are five elements that cycle through each year. They are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

Holidays

Major Chinese holidays still use the Chinese calendar to determine when they are celebrated. These holidays include the Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Boat Dragon Festival, Night of Sevens, Ghost Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Winter Solstice Festival.

Interesting Facts about the Chinese Calendar

The cat was the thirteenth animal in the race for the Chinese calendar. The cat tried to ride on the back of the ox like the rat, but the rat pushed the cat off into the water and it did not get a place on the calendar.

The start of the Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 21 each year. It is determined by the lunar-solar cycle.

The calendar has 12 months which are lunar months meaning that that each month begins at midnight on the day of a dark moon.

When the 12 animals and 5 elements are combined, the calendar runs on a 60 year cycle.

Each month is 29 or 30 days long. An extra month is added into the year every so often to adjust the length of the calendar to the solar year.